Chapter 96 - 96 (1/2)
The first thing I felt was the cold wind followed closely by the feeling of a solid surface under my feet. The darkness had faded, replaced by a scene completely different from the mountains but just as unique and strange.
”I think I preferred the mountains,” Sandra muttered as she gazed at our surroundings.
A barren wasteland of rock that seemed to stretch into the distance covered by dark clouds charged with thick stricks lighting and covering the sky completely, casting the land below in near darkness. It was unpleasant to say the least, though the strangest things were the pillars that dotted the land, stretching up into the clouds themselves, some looking to be small while others looked so thick that it would take hours to circular it.
”Well this is a lot more dreary,” I said as I leaned down and pressed a hand to hard ground. It felt like rock but was extremely cool to the touch and a static feeling appeared in my hand the moment I touched it. ”I think the stone is full of lighting.”
”It's like a land of storms,” Misty noted as she gazed up at the sky.
”We need to find shelter,” Zirani said. ”Then when can go from there, but it's best not to stay out in the open. We don't have the cover of trees or greenery here.”
”I don't spot any beasts,” Sandra said.
”Well perhaps there not above ground,” I suggested to which Sandra's eyes slowly widened as she turned her gaze to the ground beneath her. ”You think so?”
”I've seen such beasts before,” Zirani said.
”Have you never heard of Bullrock?” Misty asked. ”It's an underground city a few weeks travel from Orton. They have a sect called the stone revenants who have techniques that let them travel through the earth.”
”I didn't study much about stuff like that.” Sandra shrugged. ”I just learned what I needed to and left it at that.”
”Makes sense,” I said as I tried to stop any other structures apart from the pillars. ”I think we're going to have to head to the pillars. I don't see anything else other than them.”
Zirani nodded. ”Agreed, come on.”
Together we headed towards the nearest pillar which was only around a mile away. As we moved across the dark land we kept our eyes moving, just in case anything popped out. Just like back in the tunnels under Orton I was at a severe disadvantage since I didn't have a form dark vision like Sandra or Misty, although at least I couldn't bump into any walls here.
”Damn it's cold,” Sandra said as she warped her hands around herself.
”It really is,” Zirani said. ”You're at the second level and If you can feel it then a normal person wouldn't last long in here at all.
The pillar closet to us wasn't that large and only took a few seconds to go around. It looked to be made of the same material as the ground though unlike the earth been ht us, the pillar was perfectly smooth and didn't have the same shocking sensation attached to it as the earth had, which was odd since they reached up into the sky and were probably being hit by lightning.
”I think I've found something,” Misty called out.
We all walked over and found her looking up at something. I squirted and was barely able to make out a small hole that looked barely big enough to fit a person. It was no cruise I hadn't seen it due to the low light.
”Should we check inside?” I asked.
”We should,” Zirnai said. ”But don't go in. We have no idea what these things are. Be cautious.”
I waited for someone to make a move but they all just turned to me.
”What?”
”You're the one who does the climbing,” Sandra said.
”Since when,” I replied.
”Since the mountains.” Sandra motioned me forward. ”Just have a quick look.”
”Fine.”
I walked up to the pillar and then using all my strength jumped, chatting the edge of the hole with my hand. I pulled myself up then glanced inside. ”It leads down.”
”What do you mean?” Misty asked. ”Is it empty?”
”I mean it goes underground,” I replied, as I peered down. ”I think I see a bluish light coming from the bottom I don't—”